Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-01-09
THE NEW RAILROAD.
Interesting Facts Regarding the Extension to
Pt Pleasant.

Interesting Facts Regarding the Extension t
Pt Pleasant.
PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE LINE,
The First Train Everywhere Accorded Z
Regal Reception.
COUNTRY TRAYERSED, AND PEOPLE,
The extension of the Ohio River railroad
from Parkersburg south to PIT. Pleasant, 9
distance of 70 miles, is 10Y in complete
working order and yesterday morning the
first through passenger train left this city
for the lower end of the line. The new
road cannot but become a prime favorite
with the travelling public, for several rea'
sons. One of the chief grounds upon
which this belief is based is the fact that
the road is one of the best constructed lines
ever laid down in the United States,
and another is because the officials and
attaches of the Company, from Presi'
dent to section boss, are uni
formly courteous, Obliging, ever careful Of
the interests of the public and quick to
anticipate and crafty every reasonable
wish. The road is especially unique in
the courtesy and gentlemanliness Of its
conductors. In charming contrast with
tho naughty mien and %forbidding aspect
of the average railroad conductor, the
gentlemen in charge Of the Ohio River
trains are a happy combination of all the
good traits which should enter into the
makeup of The executive officer having
supervision over the rolling stock set aside
for the transportation of the public, and
the average traveller will be surprised and
gratifed al the attention which is con-
ferred npon him and the civility accorded
him.
Although the road was first thrown open
to the public yester lay, a representative
of the REGISTER was allowed to make the
trip from Parkersburg to Point Pleasant
Friday, on the occasion Of the tour OF in
spection made by the officers of the Com
pany prior to the Inauguration Of business,
and the writer proposes, in a hurried and
necessarily. somewhat abbreviated manner,
to set forth the sights he saw, and the I'M
pressions he received while or the jour,
neg.
THE START.
At 7:15 o'clock Friday morning, engine
No. IL, a bran new piece of machinery,
drew up at the platform in front of the
Company's depot in Parkersburg. At
tached to the engine were n combination
baggage and smoking car, q handsome new
coach, and q fiat car loaded with tool
boxes for the section bosses. Notwith,
standing the early hour, it being hardly
daylight, there was quite 4 crowd IN wait
ing at the depot, made up Of officers of the
road, invited guests, and Il number of pas
sengers who hoped to be allowed to reach
their homes down the river without the
delay of laying over until Saturday.
The train was in charge OF
Conductor Patrick, with Conductor
Bradford on the engine in the capacity OF
pilot, Engineer Charles E. Byers at the
throttle, and Fireman Ingram in the cab
with him. The officers ofthe road willingly
extended permission to the waiting pasSen-
gers to 60 aboard, and while they dis
posed ofthemselves in the smoker, forward,
the private car was entered by President
George w. Thompson, Chief Engineer j.
A. Fickenger, Assistant Superintendent c.
L. Williams; w. l.. Robinson, General
Freight and Passenger Agent; w. c. Ault,
Master Of Road; w. L. Daily, Master
Mechanic; w. II. Faye, representing the
Adams Express Company; J. LeDuc, a
prominent railroad contractor, of Cleve-
land, the REGISTER scribe, and one or two
personal friends Of the officers, making up
q very pleasant party.
At 7:45 the signal to start was given, and
the train left the foot of Third street and
backed up the river toa point a hundred
yards uorth of the B. & o. bridge which
spans the Ohio, when the train was switched
to the new track and began to climb the
long grade of 80 feet to the mile leading to
the bridge viaduct. Third street was again
crossed at an elevation Of D feet above the
depot platform, and still the ascent was
continued, the track bending to the east
in q graceful curve until the level of the
bridge was reached at Second and Ann
streets, and the train ran upon the magnifi-
Gently constructed viaduct, forty feet above
the sidewalk. At the corner of Second aud
Ann streets the site of the new elevated
passenger station was passed, and after run
ming about the distance ola city block the
train ran out upon the bridge which spans
the Little Kanawha, its height being IS
feet above the water.
THE BRIDGE.
This bridge is q Pratt truss, in three
spans, the north one of So feet, the channel
span of 300 feet and the south span of IS
feet. 1t was constructed by the Phoenix
Bridge Company, Of Pittsburgh, and,
together with the viaduct and approach, is
a handsome and costly piece of work. The
bridge approach is 1860 feet long, and
contains 191, 900 feet Of stuff, board
measure. The iron of the viaduct weighs
421, 400 pounds. while the bridge proper
weighs 800, 300 pounds. Besides this
enormous weight of metal, the bridge
contains 10, 955 feet of piling, 1000 feet
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